Princess Mary steps up to throne amid fears for Queen Margrethe

The Danish Queen, who turns 80 next year, is said to be ready to step down from the throne.

She’s one of the busiest Euro royals, but Queen Margrethe’s recent schedule has prompted fears for the 79-year-old’s health. Now Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Mary are poised and ready to take the helm – and the throne –at short notice.

The monarch recently spent four days in the German region of Schleswig-Holstein where she spent up to 12 hours a day on duty.

While the Queen kept a smile on her face and appeared fit and prepared for the endless rounds of appearances, Danish TV doctor Jerk W. Langer has spoken out amid his concern Margrethe is working too hard.

“The Queen’s programme in South Schleswig would exhaust most business leaders. She has got a bit of alone time in the morning but then it goes on and on until the late hours of the night,” he told the national publication, Her & Nu.

He pointed out that she is constantly on the go and, as the centre of attention, rarely gets any down time.

“She’s constantly the focus of attention, cannot hide, and she must be sharp and attentive the whole time.”

He added: “She has to undergo public speeches and stick to a very tight time schedule. It is very stressful when you cannot control your life. When you are placed in a role that you cannot leave or choose for yourself.”

Prince Fred and Princess Mary.

Getty

Now the well-known TV personality fears the Queen’s sense of duty may have physical consequences.

“The Queen does her job fantastically. But she has come to an age where nobody expects her to go on at the same speed. I think she is driven by a very strong sense of duty,” he says.

But, like many Danes, he realises the monarch has set very high standards for herself and is unlikely to allow herself to slow down.

“The Queen knows that for every person she meets, this will be one of the greatest experiences of their lives, and the one and only time they get to meet her,” he says. “There’s a lot of pressure on her to deliver and there’s no room for errors. They would be judged relentlessly.”

After her German trip, the Queen returned home and just two days later, was back at work attending the 400th anniversary of the Holmens Kirke in Copenhagen.

“It’s a general guideline that the body needs double the time to recover after it has been under pressure,” says Langer.

“On one side, it’s very admirable. On the other side, ifI were to give her doctor’s advice, it would be to let her son Crown Prince Frederik help her more. He must also learn how to be a regent. So, from time to time she should step back and let him do the heavy official royal duties.”